What press has PJ done to promote Lightning Bolt?

musicismylife78

Seems less than on previous albums. No RS or Spin cover stories this time out.

mookieb10

Direct Press:
They sold the album to fox to use for the world series and get plugged during every game
They played two songs on the worst late night tv show
They back it with a tour

Indirectly:
They put a countdown clock on the website that somehow got mention on Good Morning America

I dunno, it seems like they've done quite a bit more, help me out.

Jamminonthe1

musicismylife78 wrote:

No RS or Spin cover stories this time out.

I think the magazines decide that sort of thing, not the bands.

And people have to understand that their music is not overly mainstream anymore, and I think that's partly because there are not a lot of radio stations that they seem to fit into as far as genre, plus radio sucks these days. I don't think many of us would have listened to them if not for the first three albums and if you're starting with "No Code" they'd have no career. The live show is probably the biggest reason this band is still around — that's what sells and keeps them relevant. Through that and a little exposure if "other" people like the music they will buy it.

teeman

mookieb10 wrote:

Direct Press:
They sold the album to fox to use for the world series and get plugged during every game
They played two songs on the worst late night tv show
They back it with a tour

Indirectly:
They put a countdown clock on the website that somehow got mention on Good Morning America

I dunno, it seems like they've done quite a bit more, help me out.

Yea they've done a lot.

To add to your list:
TV commercials during SNL
Tons of social media advertising
Billboards/murals
Pop up store in NYC
Sirius town hall

Plus it was reviewed pretty much everywhere.

Can't wait to get my copy in the mail someday.

mookieb10

teeman wrote:

mookieb10 wrote:

Direct Press:
They sold the album to fox to use for the world series and get plugged during every game
They played two songs on the worst late night tv show
They back it with a tour

Indirectly:
They put a countdown clock on the website that somehow got mention on Good Morning America

I dunno, it seems like they've done quite a bit more, help me out.

Yea they've done a lot.

To add to your list:
TV commercials during SNL
Tons of social media advertising
Billboards/murals
Pop up store in NYC
Sirius town hall

Plus it was reviewed pretty much everywhere.

Can't wait to get my copy in the mail someday.

Can't believe that. Crazy wait. Grounds to be flat out pissed off.

teeman

mookieb10 wrote:

teeman wrote:

mookieb10 wrote:

Direct Press:
They sold the album to fox to use for the world series and get plugged during every game
They played two songs on the worst late night tv show
They back it with a tour

Indirectly:
They put a countdown clock on the website that somehow got mention on Good Morning America

I dunno, it seems like they've done quite a bit more, help me out.

Yea they've done a lot.

To add to your list:
TV commercials during SNL
Tons of social media advertising
Billboards/murals
Pop up store in NYC
Sirius town hall

Plus it was reviewed pretty much everywhere.

Can't wait to get my copy in the mail someday.

Can't believe that. Crazy wait. Grounds to be flat out pissed off.

Yea pretty much sucks.

musicismylife78

Jamminonthe1 wrote:

musicismylife78 wrote:

No RS or Spin cover stories this time out.

I think the magazines decide that sort of thing, not the bands.

And people have to understand that their music is not overly mainstream anymore, and I think that's partly because there are not a lot of radio stations that they seem to fit into as far as genre, plus radio sucks these days. I don't think many of us would have listened to them if not for the first three albums and if you're starting with "No Code" they'd have no career. The live show is probably the biggest reason this band is still around — that's what sells and keeps them relevant. Through that and a little exposure if "other" people like the music they will buy it.

PJ have always been a traditional rock band in terms of marketing and press in large part because of when they formed. If they had formed in 2007 things would obviously have been different.

Theyve always gone the traditional route for marketing. Talking to RS, Spin and doing that sort of stuff. That was m main gripe with Backspacer. They promoted it like they always do. And thats fine if your goal is to be a band that doesnt care about sales. Backspacer press made it clear PJ wanted to sell records. They were tired of not being well known and tired of people asking "when is the new album coming out", when they just released a new one the week before. The problem is, they promoted Backspacer in a way that was completely out of touch with new world marketing methods.

The methods listed by people above seem more in touch with how hip, new, and cool bands market stuff these days. You do some tv stuff, you liscence some stuff, you do some online/social media stuff, and the town hall thing was a new touch.

I respect the band and their music, but i've long thought their marketing and press methods are outdated and antiquated and serious need of reevaluation. And that makes sense. They are all mid to late 40's males. My bet is none of them are too versed in social media or marketing online. Why would they be?

musicismylife78

i never understood why PJ management and staff never looked towards NIN, Radiohead, and Jack White in terms of how to properly market albums and products to people in this day and age.

pjradio

musicismylife78 wrote:

i never understood why PJ management and staff never looked towards NIN, Radiohead, and Jack White in terms of how to properly market albums and products to people in this day and age.

curious...what was NIN, Radiohead, & Jack White's first week sales?

ForceofNature101

Enough to top the album charts. Good enough for me

pjsyco

teeman wrote:

mookieb10 wrote:

Direct Press:
They sold the album to fox to use for the world series and get plugged during every game
They played two songs on the worst late night tv show
They back it with a tour

Indirectly:
They put a countdown clock on the website that somehow got mention on Good Morning America

I dunno, it seems like they've done quite a bit more, help me out.

Yea they've done a lot.

To add to your list:
TV commercials during SNL
Tons of social media advertising
Billboards/murals
Pop up store in NYC
Sirius town hall

Plus it was reviewed pretty much everywhere.

Can't wait to get my copy in the mail someday.

Can't wait to get mine, as well.

Rygar

Sirens opened Hockey Night in Canada, so they got some advertising out to 95% of Canada :P

igotid88

pjradio wrote:

musicismylife78 wrote:

i never understood why PJ management and staff never looked towards NIN, Radiohead, and Jack White in terms of how to properly market albums and products to people in this day and age.

curious...what was NIN, Radiohead, & Jack White's first week sales?

NIN last album 105,633 its first week Debut #3
Radiohead 60,067 debut at #6. I think that's the one you could pay what you wanted

ruggs1996

Seems like a lot of advertising for LB. Everytime I go onto youtube there is an ad for it before videos (especially last week) and I was watching a PRESEASON knicks raptors game and on the side of the court the whole night (where the ads pop up) it said PEARL JAM LIGHTNING BOLT BUY IT NOW

igotid88

ruggs1996 wrote:

Seems like a lot of advertising for LB. Everytime I go onto youtube there is an ad for it before videos (especially last week) and I was watching a PRESEASON knicks raptors game and on the side of the court the whole night (where the ads pop up) it said PEARL JAM LIGHTNING BOLT BUY IT NOW

Youtube ad is based on what you view on there.

DewieCox

I've thought for the longest time that they really drop pest he ball as far as internet promotion. They've always had a pretty big online following and they've only really ever droppedt the ball when it comes to internet promotion. I think they would've made a much bigger splash than the other bands mentioned in this thread.

Ledbetterman10

DewieCox wrote:

I've thought for the longest time that they really drop pest he ball as far as internet promotion. They've always had a pretty big online following and they've only really ever droppedt the ball when it comes to internet promotion. I think they would've made a much bigger splash than the other bands mentioned in this thread.

Well there was that Backspacer online scavenger hunt thing back in 2009. Don't really remember the particulars about it but I know you had to go to websites like Spin or whatever to collect pieces of the album art...or something like that.

musicismylife78

DewieCox wrote:

I've thought for the longest time that they really drop pest he ball as far as internet promotion. They've always had a pretty big online following and they've only really ever droppedt the ball when it comes to internet promotion. I think they would've made a much bigger splash than the other bands mentioned in this thread.

Nah. Radiohead, NIN and Radiohead were the 3 other bands mentioned. I mentioned them for a reason, all of them, Trent and Thom in particular seem to know how to make money as a band, be insanely popular, but also navigate the new world of digital sales. Ive long said Thom and Trent know the future of how music will be bought and sold. They have some cool ideas.

I dont think PJ is anywhere near as tech and internet and digital sales savvy as NIN or Radiohead. Theyve never been that band.

Horos

igotid88 wrote:

pjradio wrote:

musicismylife78 wrote:

i never understood why PJ management and staff never looked towards NIN, Radiohead, and Jack White in terms of how to properly market albums and products to people in this day and age.

curious...what was NIN, Radiohead, & Jack White's first week sales?

NIN last album 105,633 its first week Debut #3
Radiohead 60,067 debut at #6. I think that's the one you could pay what you wanted

Jack White - Blunderbuss 138,000 in it's first week, debuted at #1.

DewieCox

musicismylife78 wrote:

DewieCox wrote:

I've thought for the longest time that they really drop pest he ball as far as internet promotion. They've always had a pretty big online following and they've only really ever droppedt the ball when it comes to internet promotion. I think they would've made a much bigger splash than the other bands mentioned in this thread.

Nah. Radiohead, NIN and Radiohead were the 3 other bands mentioned. I mentioned them for a reason, all of them, Trent and Thom in particular seem to know how to make money as a band, be insanely popular, but also navigate the new world of digital sales. Ive long said Thom and Trent know the future of how music will be bought and sold. They have some cool ideas.

I dont think PJ is anywhere near as tech and internet and digital sales savvy as NIN or Radiohead. Theyve never been that band.

Then PJ "needed" to put somebody in place. You can't deny that in the early part of this century, when widespread internet distribution was in it's infancy, PJ had one of the biggest online fan communities of any band. They should've been at the forefront of it all, instead they've stuck to the classic modes of distribution. That was my point. Not that Thom Yorke or Trent Reznor or Jack White are more internet savvy. PJ had alot of the pieces in place to make a big splash before any of those guys did.

I think even those guys you mentioned were kinda slow going, when a release from a group like Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes was the best selling internet album for a little bit in the early stages of online distribution.

musicismylife78

DewieCox wrote:

musicismylife78 wrote:

DewieCox wrote:

I've thought for the longest time that they really drop pest he ball as far as internet promotion. They've always had a pretty big online following and they've only really ever droppedt the ball when it comes to internet promotion. I think they would've made a much bigger splash than the other bands mentioned in this thread.

Nah. Radiohead, NIN and Radiohead were the 3 other bands mentioned. I mentioned them for a reason, all of them, Trent and Thom in particular seem to know how to make money as a band, be insanely popular, but also navigate the new world of digital sales. Ive long said Thom and Trent know the future of how music will be bought and sold. They have some cool ideas.

I dont think PJ is anywhere near as tech and internet and digital sales savvy as NIN or Radiohead. Theyve never been that band.

Then PJ "needed" to put somebody in place. You can't deny that in the early part of this century, when widespread internet distribution was in it's infancy, PJ had one of the biggest online fan communities of any band. They should've been at the forefront of it all, instead they've stuck to the classic modes of distribution. That was my point. Not that Thom Yorke or Trent Reznor or Jack White are more internet savvy. PJ had alot of the pieces in place to make a big splash before any of those guys did.

I think even those guys you mentioned were kinda slow going, when a release from a group like Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes was the best selling internet album for a little bit in the early stages of online distribution.

pieces in place are useless if they arent utilized. In the early part of the century PJ was at the forefront sure, but they arent in 2013. The bands I mentioned are, currently.

Ideas are just ideas until they are actually put into place. And PJ dropped the ball sometime after that early part of the century.

If selling albums was their stated goal for Backspacer, by any stretch of the imagination they failed miserably in terms of marketing it to a younger or "hip" audience. They cant be blamed too much because they grew to fame at a time when what they traditionally do to promote albums, actually worked.

I never understood why they didnt go the In Rainbows route, they were considering it.